Thudium strikes in overtime as Kings down Voyageurs

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB - Kings' forward Chase Thudium played heroe on Saturday afternoon against the Portage College Voyageurs. The third-year Business Administration student opened the scoring and fittingly ended the game at 3:27 of the extra frame, helping RDC earn a 7-6 decision.

"Finding a way to battle back and get back in the game, tie it a couple times and take it to overtime and win, that's a positive," said Kings Head Coach Trevor Keeper. "You need to know how to do that, especially in the playoffs."

The RDC Kings hit the scoresheet first. At 1:04, Scott Ferguson fed Chase Thudium cross-ice for a redirect past Voyageurs goalie Jacob Gnidziejko.

Ferguson (17) and D. Thudium (13)

On the power play Portage College knotted it up at 5:37. Kaleb Bell converted on a wrap around behind Arik Weersink.

About four minutes later, the Kings' special teams went to work. From inside the blue line, Tyrell Mappin connected with Mathieu Lapointe down low and the Mechanical Engineering Technician student made a quick touch pass to Jacob Wozney out front. Wozney, a left winger from Richmond, wasted no time finding the back of the net.

Shortly after, Portage College drew even. On a solo effort, Kaleb Bell split the RDC defence and poked it past Weersink. Then Brayden Dale provided the visitors their first lead.

The Voyageurs captured a three goal cushion around the mid-way point of the second period, striking twice on the power play. Jesse Roach and Cole Keenleyside recorded the markers.

Lynnden Pastachak reduced the gap to a pair with 2:42 left in the frame.

By 8:24 of the third period, RDC's Scott Ferguson and Austin Hunter tied the game 5-5. Kaleb Bell and Kings defenceman Boedy Donald traded goals, sending the contest into overtime. Donald's goal was timely and memorable. It was his first in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).

Donald (23)

"Boedy is a solid, stay at home, tough defenceman. He does have some offensive upside. He hasn't scored since preseason, so it was nice to see him get rewarded today," said Keeper. "We try to encourage the d-men to get one shot on net per period from each d, and sometimes he doesn't shoot enough. Tonight he did a few times and got rewarded for it."

During four-on-four overtime, Chase Thudium raced up the left side, used a Voyageurs' defenceman as a screen and beat Gnidziejko over the glove for a 7-6 home win.

The talented RDC winger was named the Collegiate Sports Medicine Kings Player-of-the-Game after recording his team-high 28th point. Kaleb Bell received the award for the Voyageurs.

"Chase was taking some double shifts, he had his feet moving. He can burn defencemen wide with his speed but he has to keep shooting and not overpass the puck," stated Keeper. "At the end, he cuts in, makes a move and snipes it through a shin pad. Chase is so agile and shifty, he has to keep shooting like that."

RDC outshot Portage College 44-35. 

The Kings clicked twice on three power plays. The Voyageurs went four-for-eight.

"Our penalty kill has been good this year and for whatever reason today, we gave up a lot of power play goals and our d-zone coverage right in tight, around our goaltender, not scooping sticks and boxing out on loose pucks," said Keeper. "So, little things we've been working on and some days it just goes that way."

On Friday, Feb. 21, the second place RDC Kings (17-5-2-0) will face-off against the Briercrest College Clippers (7-14-2-1) at 7:00 pm in Saskatchewan.

"The important thing for us as a coaching staff is how guys responded in the third and overtime. They weren't frustrated and talked each other into winning," said Keeper. "It was all positive body language and encouragement on the bench and that's why we had an opportunity to win in OT."

At the same time, Portage College (0-22-2-0) will host the MacEwan University Griffins (16-6-1-0).